First Patient to Receive Stem-Cell Treatment Reports Recovering Feeling in His Paralyzed Legs

The first patient to receive a human embryonic stem-cell treatment for paralysis from a spinal-cord injury says he has regained some feeling in his legs.

The 21-year-old young man from Alabama was partially paralyzed in a Sept. 25 car crash. Now he has reported that he’s begun to feel slight sensation where he had none before — for example, a sense of relief when a bowling ball is lifted from his lap or discomfort when he pulls on hairs on his legs.

A New York Spinal Injury Lawyer cautions that the information is anecdotal at the moment and not scientific, but it is still very exciting for the stem-cell researcher who invented the procedure. “It’s an extraordinarily exciting outcome,” he said. “One that is very hopeful for the treatment.” The doctor echoes the caution though, indicating that it is far too early in the clinical trial for conclusive conclusions to be made.

This young nursing student was the first patient to be injected with stem cells in the world’s first clinical trial of a human embryonic stem-cell treatment. This treatment for acute spinal cord injuries must take place within 14 days of the injury and involves an injection of neural cells derived from human embryonic stem cells taken from embryos otherwise destined to be discarded by fertility clinics. This treatment still generates controversy among those opposed to use of such cells.

The trial is being conducted by Geron Corp. at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, Georgia, which is one of seven potential sites in the U.S. suitable to hold the trial. This first stem-cell trial is focused on testing the safety of the procedure and patient tolerance. A Spinal Injury Attorney in NYC says that this is the normal practice for clinical trials. The treatment’s effectiveness is set to be evaluated in a future trial if the safety of the procedure is confirmed. In Westchester and Suffolk Counties, hopitals hope to treat Paraplegia with this procedure.

Most patient identities are secret, but this first patient came forward to speak to the public.

The treatment’s developer, claiming to be an eternal optimist, says he fully expects the phase 1 clinical trial to provide anecdotal evidence of a beneficial treatment in all the participating individuals. “You have to understand, I’m extremely biased: I developed it. When I put my scientific hat on, I try to disregard as best I can this anecdotal evidence, and wait patiently for the formal outcomes of the clinical trial,” which won’t be available until two years after the last patient is treated.

Science is progressing daily in the area of medicine. Even though that is the case, there are still many reasons to contact a New York Spinal Injury Attorney. If you have questions, have been hurt by another, set up a consultation with one of these superb professionals.